Pneumatic organ



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. CLARK.

PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

No. 576,029. Patented Jan. 26,1897.

2 b e e h S m e e h S 4 N M R B0 A0 Ln CA W E N P a. d 0 M O W No.576,029. Patented Jan. 26, 1897.

4 SheetsShejet 3.

(Remodel) CLARK. PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

Patented Jan. 26, 1897.

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v M. CLARK.

PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

m. 576,029. Paten ed-Jan. 26; 1897.

UNiTEr) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVILLE CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,029, dated January26, 1897.

Application filed December 2, 1895. Serial No. 570,727- (No modeLi To(all whom it rrmy concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVILLE CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Organs,whichare fully set forth in the following specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to organs which are adapted to be operated bypneumatic action, such pneumatic action being controlled by appropriatemusic-strips according to wellknown principles and methods.

The invention consists in improvements in the pneumatics and connectionstherefrom to the organ-action proper, by which pneumatic action isadapted to be mounted upon and connected. with the ordinary organ-actionand acts upon the same pitman or plunger which is acted upon by thedepression of the key when the instrument is played by hand.

My invention comprises, further, specific spring-actuated devices forunwinding and rewinding the music-strip.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectiou from front to rearthrough an ordinary action of common construction having my pneumaticaction mounted upon and connected with it, certain supplemental partsbeing omitted and the connections thereto being broken away. Fig. 2 is asection at the line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of themusic-sheet and winding apparatus. Fig. 4 is a detail section at line 44. on Fig. Fig. 5 is a section at the line 5 5 on Fig. 1. Fig. 0 is adetail plan showing a modification of the structure shown in Fig. 5.Fig. 7 is a continuation of Fig. 1, showing the same verticalpneumatic-chamber which is shown in Fig. 1 and the additional parts atthe rear thereof which are broken away and omitted from Fig. 1. Fig. 8is a detail section at the line 8 Son Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail in thenature of a diagram, showing the method of providing any desired numberof principal or secondary pneumatic connections operated by one primarypneumatic. Fig. 10 is a rear elevation.

The familiar form of organ-action shown at the left-hand part of Fig. 1and situated in the ordinary position with respect to the casecomprises, with other parts, the manualkeyA, plunger or pitman T, valveO, mounted upon the under side of the top (Z of the vacuum-chamber D,and may comprise any number of sets of reeds, with their appropriatemutes E E, and the customary swell-chamber, of which the fixed top F andthe swell-valves F are shown in the customary relation to thereed-chambers and mutes. At the rear of this customary action there ismounted and extends upright the pneumatic exhaustchamber D, whichcommunicates at its lower end with the main exhaust-chamber D and isotherwise closed, except as it has communication, as hereinafterexplained, with the primary and secondary pneumatics L L, &c., and N N,&c.

.T is the tracker-range. It projects horizontally, being mounted by itsrear edge on the forward edge of a horizontal board J, which is mountedsidewise on the upper end of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber, which issecured directly to the upper edge of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber D andprojects horizontally forward and at its forward edge is traversed bythe music-strip K, which runs from the roll K onto the roll K beingwound by the spring-actuated train hereinafter described, connected tothe latter roll, and adapted to be wound by hand, as hereinafterdescribed, onto the former roll.

From the forward edge of the trackerrange, which is traversed by themusic-strip, the ducts j j, corresponding to the several keys of theinstrument, lead through and communicate directly with ductsj, &c.,which extend in the same direction in the board J to the pointy, wherethey turn at right angles and emerge from the lower side of the board,communicating, respectively, with the ducts (Z d in the forward wall Dof the pneumatic vacuum-chamber D. Said ducts (Z and d communicateinwardly through said wall by the port 61 with the primary pneumatics LL, mounted within the pneumatic vacuum-chain her and actuating thelevers L L respectively, and each provided with a vent-openingl smallerthan (Z The levers L L are fulcrumed at their lower ends and pressedupon the primary l neumatics, respectively, by the springs L Each ofthese levers carries the valvesM M, mounted rll on a common stem, whichstem extends through the front wall D the valve M scating upon the innerside and the valve 31 upon the outer side of the wall, and closing,respectively, the inner and outer ports of the cross-duct D, throughwhich the stem of said valves M and M extends. The crossduct-s Dcommunicatethrough vertical d uets D and D, respectively, with thesecondary pneumatics N and N, which are mounted upon the outer orforward side of the wall D of the pneumatic vacuum.chamber.

P 1 are bridges extending horizontally across the two rows of secondarypneumatics for the purpose of givingsupport to the bell.- cra-nk leversQ Q, which are fulcrumed at their angles, respectively, upon posts P P,the, secured to the bridges I l in front of the secondary pneumatics,respectively. Q Q are flexible straps or links which connect thevertical arms of the bell-crank levers Q with the vibrating end of therespective pneumatics.

R R, the, are connecting-rods which ex tend from the forward end of thehorizontal arms of the bcllcrank levers, respectively, down to the rearends, respectively, of the lovers S S, &c., which are fulcrumed at a atthe upper edge of a bar S, which is mounted on topof the swell-chamberunderneath the manual. Said levers S, at their forward ends, stand abovethe buttons it, &c., on the pit men or plungers T, which constitute thefamiliar connection from the manual-keys to the reed-valves. Theconnecting-rods R are provided with adjustable stops R and R",respectively, above and below the bell-cranklever arms and thelever-arms S, for the pur pose of adjusting properly the connection fromthe bell-crank levers to the levers S to prevent lost motion.

\Vhen an aperture in the music-strip Ii passes the mouth of a duct inthe trackerrange, the primary pneumatic corresponding to andcommunicating with said duct, being exposed to the suction of theorgan-bellows by reason of being within the pneuniatic vaeuuni-chamber,tends to fill, and thereby to actuate the lever L or I) pertaining to itin a direction to cause the valve M to seat on the outer side of thewall D of the pneumatic vacuuni-chamber, unseating the valve M from theinner side, and thereby putting the secondary pneumatic in communicationwith the vacuum-chambcr, causing said sccondary pnetunatic to becollapsed by the suction and to actuate the bell-crank lever Q, andthrough the connecting-rod R and. lever to operate the pitman pertainingto the key and reed to which the uncovered duct in the tracker-rangecorresponds, the actuation of the pitman and its valve being, as will beseen, precisely the same as it would receive by the depression of themanual-key by hand.

In order to obtain the necessary power and stroke to give the reed-valvethe same extent of opening by this means as it would receive by adepression of the key in playing an in. Slilllll'lOlllJ by hand, it isnecessary to provide secondary pneumatics of size GOI'LOSPOIltllllg tothe hardness of the action that is, strong enough to do the work aspromptly and fully as it can be done by hand that is, to open the valvewide.

It will be evident that if the secomlary pneumatics were arranged allside by side in a single row, each in line with the manualkey to whichit corresponds, such pneumatics would be limited in width to the spaceallowed each key on the manual. 'lhus limited, it is impossible to givethe pneumatics sufficient power to operate the valves as they areoperated in playing the instrument by hand; but bysctting the pneumaticvacuumchambcr uprightand arranging them in a plurality of horizontalrows and setting the corresponding individuals of the different rows outof line vertically, that is, offsetting them from each other, theset-off being the amount of the lateral distance which pertains to eachkey of the manual, I can make the pneumatics as bread as desired and aslong as desired, the increase of the breadth only necessitating agreater number of rows and. consequent increased height of the pneumaticvacuum-chamber, and the increase of length also necessitating simply theincrease in height of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber, and such increasedheight is not objectionable up to a limit much beyond what is ac tuallynecessary for the purpose. No inequality in the action of the pneumaticsof the several rows upon the reed-valves respectively to which theypertain results from their different heights, the only difference causedby that difference in height being a difference in the length of theconnecting-rods 1, and since said connecting-rods operate by a pull andnot by a push and are therefore not rendered more liable to spring bytheir increased length this increased length does not in any respectaffect their action.

I have shown both the n-imary and secondary pneumatics arranged in tworows, oil sct,thercforc, half their width; but it will be understoodthat the construction does not involve any limitation to two rows, andthe pneumatics may be arranged in any number of horizontal rows withoutdeparting from the principle involved. The levers Ti and TP, whichpertain to the respective rows of primary pneumatics, being of differentlength and being preferably as a matter of convenience all ftiilcrulnedon the same bridge or rib 7, the difference in their leverage upon therespective pneumatics may be compensated by a corresponding differencein the tension of the springs L which press them against said primarypneumatics.

In practice, however, this t'lilferenee may be disregarded withoutaffecting the result; that is to say, inequality of pressure of thelevers against the pneumatics within the limits to which such inequalityis liable to exist in the structure shown does not produce anyperceptible difference in the promptness of action of the pneumatics,and this is the only respect in which a difference could be caused bydifference in the pressure of the levers on the pneumatics.

As indicated, the parts constituting the pneumatic action abovedescribed are designed and adapted to be applied to organs of customaryconstruction without change in the organ-action itself and, except forap pearance, without change in the case, though the pneumatic actionwill preferably usually be suitably inclosed in an upright extension orappurtenance to the organcase. Not only for this reason, but because Ido not consider it desirable to impose upon the organ-bellows theadditional work of winding and rewinding the music-roll, as is sometimesdone, I prefer to have this process performed by some simple mechanicalmeans, such as a spring-actuated train, suitably governed for rewinding.I have shown such devices in Figs. 3 and 4. The shaft 1& of thewindingroll 1 extends through its bearing in the side post H of theframe which supports both rows and is actuated by a train represented bythe wheels V, V, V and V the last of which is on the shaft o which issuitably connected by familiar ratchet devices (not shown) with amainspring X in a drum or barrel X, which has also rigid with it a largegear X which meshes with a pinion X on a shaft 00 which has also fixedto it a brake-wheel X, which is pressed upon by a brake-shoe having ascrew-stem 00 which is set through a spring-bar X suitably supported onthe framework. The shaft 12 extends through the frame Z, which supportsthe train, and outside said frame-bar has the beveled gear X whichmeshes with the beveled gear X whose shaft, as well as the shaft U isjournaled in a bracket U, secured to the outer side of the frame-bar Z.The shaft of the gear X extends forwardly, while the shaft 63 isproduced laterally, said shafts terminating before penetrating the frontand end walls B and B, respectively, of the cabinet-work. Said walls areprovided with eyes I) and b in line with said shafts, respectively,adapted to admit and seat a crank-handle key G, the ends of the shaftbeing squared to receive such key, so that the driving-spring may bewound either by the operator seated in front of the organ or through theeye Z) at the end.

For rewinding the strip onto the roll K, I em ploy a train consisting ofthe gears K and K, inside the frame-bars E, and beveled gears K K,mounted in a bracket K similar to the bracket U. The shafts 10 and ofthe gears K and K respectively, are produeed, respectively, toward thefront and toward the end walls of the case, which are provided with eyesfor the insertion of a key. The details of this structure may beunderstood from Fig. 4, although that figure represents, primarily, thecorresponding devices in a winding-roll, the arrangements beingprecisely similar, the same key being used, so that the operator seatedat the front of the organ can rewind in order to repeat any portion ofthe music and the same thing can be done by one standing at the end ofthe ease.

The time of the music, due to the speed of the winding process, it willbe understood, is regulated by the screw-stem of the brakeshoe, whosepressure upon the brake-wheel may be varied at will by screwing it in orout through the spring-bar X.

\V is a spring secured to one side of the frame in which the rolls aremounted. At its upper end it alfords a bearing for the lefthand end ofthe roll K, which operates by endwise pressure against the hub or roll,thereby forcing the opposite end It into engagement with the portion Itof said shaft which is permanently journaled in the opposite side barkey of the frame.

It will be understood that by pressing the roll endwise to the left itmay be disengaged at 7c for removal.

My invention includes a further feature, which, though especially usefulin combination with the upright pneumatic vacuum; chamber, is of a moreextended utility. Generally stated, this feature consists in aconstruction by which a single set of primary pneumatics is made tooperate a plurality of sets of secondary or principal pneumatics andconnections to such secondary or principal pneumatics of a nature whichpermits the location of such pneumatics and their corresponding reedsand reed-chambers in any convenient place and at any distance from theprimary pneumatics or from the other set or sets of secondary orprincipal pneumatics, so that,in fact, from one set of primarypneumatics and one music-strip a plurality of organs may be operated;that is, a plurality of entire sets of reeds not necessarily organizedwithin the same case or in any special relation to each other or to thekeyboard or music-strip. The principal feature of this part of myinvention is represented in the drawings in connection with the featuresalready described, and consists in providing in the board D which formsone side of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber and which has the cross-port D,through which the principal or secondary pneumatics are alternatelyvented and operated by the suction from the vacuum-chamber, a pluralityof ducts corresponding to D opening into said cross-port D. For thepurpose of illustratin g such plurality of ducts I have shown in Fig. la second duct D andin detail View, Fig. 9, I have shown additional ductsD D, the. These additional ducts extend each a short distance from thecross-port D and then turn at right angles and emerge at the outersurface of the board D and are there provided with metal mouthpieces D D850., adapted for connection with. small rub- IOC ber tubes 2 2, &c.,which lead up through apertures J J, &c., in the board .I, locatedbetween the ducts], and thence in any direction to any distance desiredto similar metal terminals D the, inserted in ducts at in the board Dwhich may be mounted wherever convenient and have mounted upon it aseries of principal pneumatics N IV, 850., mechanically connected withthe valves C C the, of a set of reeds F I mounted in reed-chambers inconvenient position to have their valves operated by mechanicalconnection with the pneuniaties N and most conveniently, as illustrated,on the same board D their outer walls being shown at 1 &c., and havingthe valves 0 hinged to them in the customary manner. It will beunderstood that communication from a vacuum-chamber must be made withthe reed chambers and controlled by proper mute. The vertical positionof the pneumatic vacuum-ehamber D makes it very convenient to mount theboard D upon the back of said pneumatic vacuumchamber and to makecommunication from such chamber into the reed-chambers for the reeds Iby means of: a horizontal slot d in. the back (2 of said chamber D, saidslot communicating with the individual ports (I through the board .1)into the several reed-chambers f A mute D located within the pneumaticvacuum-chamber I) and operated in any familiar manner by connectionswith its stem or rock-shaft, which. will protrude beyond said chamber atthe end, serves to control the entire set of reeds thus mounted on theboard D For the purpose of illustrating this method of construction Ihave shown a set of subbass-reods mounted on the board D and this servesto illustrate the advantage of the form of connection provided from theprimary pncumatics, consisting in the ilexible tubes, because it isdesirable, or at least convenient, to use a much greater portion of thelength of the instrument for the set of subbassreeds than is occupied bythe corresponding keys of the manual. Thus, for example, for two andone-half octaves of subbass I may n tilize the entire length of theinstrument on the rear side of the pneumatic vz'icuum-chamber I), thusobtaining space for reeds 01: any desired timbre or quality of tone,giving them any width necessary for the specific purpose and obtainingalso opportunity for pneumatics wide and powerful enough to operate thevalves with certainty and promptness.

I have shown a convenient and compact arran geinentan d mechanism forconnecting the pneuinatics i with the valves 01": the subbass set. Thework to be done by the pneumatics being the same for all the reeds,since that work consists, mainly, in lifting the valves, which are thesame size for all the reeds, the pneumaties may be uniform in size. Ilocate them at the lower part of the board 13 pivotin g theiroscillating walls at the lower edge, so that the action is obtained fromtheir upper edge, and I locate the valves for the reedchambers at thelower part; but in order that they may be gravity-valves, requiring nosprings to seat them, I form an oblique shoulder toward the lower end ofthe outer or rear wall l of the valve-chamber and make the valve-portlead through such oblique shoulder, to the lower corner of which thevalve is hinged, the upper end of the val ve being weighted to cause itto seat promptly, notwithstanding that it is not set directly downward,but only obliquely. From the hinged end of the valve I extend a iingta'1.5- downward, and from the upper ii'oirward edge of the oscillatingwall of the pi'icnn'iatio 1 ex tend a rigid linger n so that itterminates substantially directly behind the lower end of thevalve-linger c, and by means of the flexible strap N I connect thelinger 0", so that the pneumatic may operate by a substantially directpull on the lever-arm ol' the valve which the linger c constitutes.

I claim 1. In combination with a reed-ingan hav ing a manual-action, avertical pneumaticchamber at the rear and pneumatics in a plurality ofrows mounted on the forward side of such pneumatic-chaniber; and loverconnections from the pneumatics respectively arranged in parallelvertical fore-and-at t planes extending respectively to the pitnien ot'the manual action.

2. In combination with a reed-organ having manualaction, a verticalpneumatic chamber at the rear, the principalpneumatics mounted on theforward side of such chamber, and lover connections from the exterior ofsuch pneumatics extending in parallel vertical planes to the pitinen ofthemanual-keys respectively.

3. In combination. with an organ having manuataction, a pneumaticvacuuin.-chainber erected vertically at the rea r; the prima rypneumatics mounted upon the inner side of the forward wall of saidchamber, and the sec ondary or principal pneumatics mounted upon theexterior of said wall, said primary pneumatics being arranged in aplurality of horizontal rows whose corresponding indi viduals are offsetlaterally, the d nets to said primary pneumatics being all parallel andformed in said. .t'orward wall and opening at the upper end thereof; thehorizontal board J having ducts j, and cross-portsj in a singletransverse row commui'iicating with said ductsj, respectively, andadapted to register with the upper mouths of the priniary-pinniina-ticducts; and the tracker-range alnitting and secured at the forward edgeoi the board J, and having its ducts registering with the ducts):substantially as set forth.

-i;. In a pneumatic organ, in coinbiiiiation with the vertical pneumaticvacuinn-ehaniberhaving principal or secondary pneinnatics mounted uponthe outer side of one wall; additional secondary or principalpiiieumaties mounted upon the opposite wall; erossports through onewall, and a plurality of ducts leading from said cross-ports, one ductleadin g to the pneumatics mounted on said wall, and the other leadingto the outer side of the wall, and flexible tubes connected at saidlastmentioned ducts and extending to the additional pneumatics; thereed-chambers pertaining to said additional pneumatics, and suitablemechanical connections from the latter to the valves of said chambers:substantially as set forth.

5. In a pneumatic organ, in combination with the vertical pneumaticvacuum-chamberhaving principal or secondary pneumatics mounted upon theouter side of one wall; additional secondary or principal pneumaticsmounted upon the opposite wall; cross-ports through one wall and aplurality of ducts leading from said cross-ports; one duct leading tothe pneumatics mounted on said wall, and the other leading to the outerside of the wall; and flexible tubes connected at said lastmentionedducts and extending to the additional pneumatics also mounted on thevertical pneumatic-chamber, and suitable mechanical connections fromsaid additional pneumatics also mounted on the verticalpneLunatic-chamber, and suitable mechanical connections from saidadditional pn eum at-ics to the valves of their respectivereed-chambers: substantially as set forth.

6. In a pneumatic organ, in combination with the upright pneumaticvacuum-chamber, the horizontal traeker-range forward of said chamber,and the ducts leading from said tracker-range rearward to the wall ofthe pneumatic vacuum chamber; the primary pneumatics within saidchamber; the valves which they respectively actuate, and the portsthrough the forward wall of said chamber controlled by said valves;ducts in said walls from said cross-ports, and secondary or principalpneumatics mounted on said Walls to which said d ucts respectively leadadditional ducts in said wall leading from said crossports respectively,and terminating at their other ends at the outer side of said wall;additional pneumatics mounted upon the rear of said upright pneumaticvacuum-chamber,

and suitable ducts leading into said additional pneumatics respectively,and flexible tubes connected at one end at the outer end of theadditional ducts in the forward side of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber,extending thence up between the ducts leading from the tracker-range,and thence over the upper end of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber andconnected at the ports leading into said additional pneumatics,respectively: substantially as set forth.

7. In a pneumatic organ, in combination with the pneumaticvacuum-chamber and the ports 1) leading through its wall and the valveswhich control such ports and means for operating such valves, aplurality of ducts leading into said ports, and plurality of pneumaticsconnected with such ducts respectively, and reeds corresponding to suchpneumatics respectively having their respective valves operated thereby:substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with a manual action of a reed-organ, the uprightpneumatic-chamber at the rear, and the horizontal forwardlyprojectingtracker-range mounted at the upper end of the pneumatic-chamber; theprimary pneumatics within the chamber, and principal or secondarypneumatics mounted on the forward side of the chamber; bellcrank levershaving their fulcrums supported in front of the pneumatics respectively;the levers S operating at their forward ends upon the pitmen of then1anual-action respectively, and connecting-rods R from the rear ends ofsaid levers to the horizontal arms of the bellcranks, and links from thevertical arms of the bell-cranks to the oscillating ends of thesecondary pneumatics respectively: substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 21st day of November, 1805.

MELVILLE CLARK.

lVitnesses CHAS. S. BURTON, JEAN ELLIOTT.

